Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Your Struggling Writer!

Are you looking for the best homeschool writing curriculum? Does your child struggle with writing? Do you struggle with teaching writing? Are you looking for a program to help you both?

This year we’re playing catch-up with writing, and I need a program that will do the heavy lifting for me. Read on to find out what we picked and why. Maybe this one will be the right program to help your struggling writer, too.

For a full list of your secular homeschool curriculum options, see our Secular Homeschool Curriculum Guide.

My son, W, is very bright, but he has always struggled with writing. In the primary grades (k-2), handwriting and fine motor skills were a serious challenge for him, so getting his ideas down on paper was difficult.

He’s in 4th grade now, and while he can write legibly, he still struggles with the writing process. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence in this subject leftover from his earlier challenges. He has no trouble answering questions and sharing his ideas orally, but he freezes up when it comes to getting his thoughts down on paper.

My goal is to get him excited about writing and help him overcome his obstacles while he’s still young.

I need a homeschool writing curriculum with solid instruction and structure to help him master the writing process while still making it fun, so he will be motivated to learn.

Top 3 Reasons We Chose WriteShop Junior

WriteShop Junior is a comprehensive writing program. It focuses on the writing process, genre, and grammar. I am excited to get started with this program! I hope my enthusiasm + a great program will be the answer to my son’s writing struggles.

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1. Because the best homeschool writing curriculum will be FUN – not intimidating

My first priority is finding a program that would motivate my son to write. I gotta face it, he will not learn with drill & kill writing. No matter how wonderful a program looks, if it’s boring and tedious it will always be a struggle – for both of us.

I wanted to find a program that was fun straight out of the box, not one that I would have to put a lot of extra work into to make it enjoyable. WriteShop Junior make is clear the the first priority is making writing fun and enjoyable for your child. A few points that stood out to me:

1. Games and guidance, instead of drill and a red pen
2. Multisensory activities, not just a pencil and an intimidating blank page
3. Interactive grammar lapbooks, much more fun than worksheets
4. Tools to help encourage independence – like self-editing, so I’m not the bad guy constantly focused on mistakes

We’re especially excited that he will be introduced to various genres – nonfiction, mystery, fables, personal narrative, and (his favorite) science fiction. It’s different. This should go a long way in getting him motivated to write! 

Kids seem to fear writing more than other subjects – maybe because writing is much more personal, making it feel like more of a personal attack when something is marked as incorrect.

WriteShop Junior promises to lower the stakes and reducing the stress. When your child isn’t so worried about being wrong, he or she can be open learning.

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2. Because fun isn’t enough – we need structure, too

While I want writing to be fun for my son, I know that we need a program with structure to make sure he gets the instruction he needs. I also want to make sure that I teach him a complete course; I don’t want to miss anything essential in his instruction.

WriteShop Junior is one of the best homeschool writing curriculum options, because it focuses on guiding kids through the entire writing process, including:

• Brainstorming
• Writing
• Self-editing
• Revising
• Publishing

We’re always homeschooling year-to-year. So I’m not sure if or when W. will return to public school. I do know that I want him to be a stronger writer so that if he does go back to school, he will be on level with his peers. It’s comforting to know that we are using a program to help him keep up with his grade-level peers.

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3. Because the best homeschool curriculum makes teaching writing easier

Just as many kids fear writing, many homeschooling parents fear teaching writing. I don’t want to leave anything out in my instruction, and I simply do not have time to come up with a million creative ideas to get my son excited and ensure that he is learning everything he needs to know.

I’m homeschooling three kids this year – I need curriculum that works and makes it easy for me.

WriteShop Junior is ideal because it comes with all of the resources I need. The lightly scripted lesson plans tell me exactly what I need to do. It also comes with topic suggestions and graphic organizers. I won’t have to look for additional resources or materials to supplement the lessons.

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*Bonus* reason WriteShop is great for struggling writers…

My son is an asynchronous learner – he’s a year ahead in math, on grade level in reading, and behind in writing. However, a program labeled 2nd or 3rd grade makes him feel defeated and deficient before he even starts.

Look, I know this doesn’t apply to everyone, but it’s major for my son –

I couldn’t bring myself to choose a program with a GIANT NUMBER 3 on the front, even though that’s where he is. That 3 would be a constant reminder of his weakness – not a good thing when trying to build his confidence as a writer.

WriteShop Junior covers grades 3-6, labeled as D, E, and F. I used the simple placement test on the website to determine the correct package for my son – so I know we got the right level for him.

This program meets my son on his level without the shame of having a lower grade level glaring at him from the cover each day. He can develop as a writer and grow his confidence at his own pace. It’s the best of both worlds.

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A Little More About WriteShop

WriteShop is a comprehensive writing program that offers curriculum for all ages. Each level strives to make writing hands-on and fun, while also ensuring your child learns all the skills required to write on the appropriate grade level.

Begin any time by selecting the appropriate level in the middle or start in kindergarten and use it all the way through high school. Use the free placement quiz so that you can make sure to start your child with the right program.

• Primary covers grades K-3 (books A, B, and C)
• Junior is for grades 3-6 (books D, E, and F)
• Levels I and II cover grades 6-12 (look for the newest 5th edition)

WriteShop Junior offers just the right balance of ease, structure, and fun, making it our choice for the best homeschool writing curriculum.

Check out the WriteShop website to learn more and take the placement test so you can see where your child needs to start.